TRENTON — The former business administrator for the Westfield School District was sentenced today to one year probation for accepting about $13,000 in windows and doors from a contractor he recommended be hired, according to the state Attorney General's Office.

Robert Berman, 55, of South Plainfield, pleaded guilty in October to conspiracy to make false representations for a government contract. As a condition of his plea, he was required to forfeit his job and also ordered to pay a $6,000 penalty, the office said in a news release.

In pleading guilty, Berman admitted to accepting about $13,000 worth of window glass and doors installed at his home by Metropolitan Metal Window Co. from 2004 to 2008, the release said. He also admitted to writing recommendations that the Westfield Board of Education appoint the company as the district's "contractor of record," the release said.

Blair Zwillman, an attorney for Berman, said the sentencing marked a "sad day."

"Mr. Berman was in the business administration industry so to speak for over 30 years with multiple school districts and always had rave reviews as an honorable guy," Zwillman said.

He added: "He's lost his livelihood and it's very unfortunate. There's no real victim and I wish he had been accepted into the pretrial intervention program. He's not a criminal type whatsoever."

Note: An earlier version of this post misidentified attorney Blair Zwillman in a photo.